Overwhelming Firepower

There was a gentle breeze that carried the scent of flowers towards the pavilion where Lucen and Lysette were sitting.

The two, after greeting each other, did not speak and simply looked at each other, but with very different reasons.

’Why isn’t he saying anything?! Is it because I underdressed? Usually, the gentleman would praise a lady’s outfit. Should I have worn something else?! Something with lace? Something with more lace??’ Lysette was panicking in her mind while continuing to smile that innocent smile of hers.

’What does she want? Is she waiting for something? Why hasn’t she said anything yet?’

Lucen stared at the smiling Lysette, a little confused. This was not how he had pictured the conversation with the future spymaster slash revolution leader.

’Why is he staring at me like that?! Is there something in my hair? Should I ask him?’

Lysette was already feeling very embarrassed, which was unlike her, but she remained smiling nonetheless, without showing any hint of what she was truly feeling.

’This is getting nowhere. I’ll just ask her why she invited me to have tea.’

The two then opened their mouths at almost the exact same time and spoke. ”A-” The two made a sound at the exact same time, making the other pause.

’What was that?!’ Lysette shouted in her mind. It took a while for her to strengthen her resolve to speak first, but Lucen interrupted her.

’Still, this is a good chance to make him talk first.’

”Please go ahead.”

”Pardon, go ahead.”

Once again, the two were like a duet as they spoke at the same time.

’Why is this happening?!’ Lysette screamed in her mind.

’Oh, I see... Is this that kind of cliche, the one that makes our meeting awkward, and the two of us thinking about how to move and speak like a chess match?’

Lucen stared at the ever-smiling Lysette. ’Did she deliberately match the timing of when I was going to speak? Heh, to think I would get to experience something like this. Things are getting more interesting.’

Lucen suddenly smiled. When Lysette saw Lucen suddenly smile, her body made a subtle twitch, but she remained ever-smiling.

’Why is he smiling now?!’

On the other hand, Lucen, with his superior senses, was, of course, able to notice that subtle twitch.

’Did she realize that I now understand the kind of game we’re playing?’

Lysette was trying to speak once again, but she stopped herself. Of course, Lucen noticed those movements as he was not fully focused on Lysette’s every move, and his grin grew wider.

’He smiled MORE?! What does that MEAN?!’

’Heh, I guess she’s flustered since this is not a single-player game anymore.’

A tension, ridiculous and silent, hovered between them in the perfectly decorated pavilion. The two, not fully knowing what the other was thinking, were starting to make their own assumptions.

A distant sound of porcelain gently tapping trays echoed from the garden path.

Both Lucen and Lysette turned at the exact same time, once again synchronized like an awkward duet.

A line of maids approached the pavilion carrying polished silver trays, teapots, and tiers of pastries.

Their steps were measured and graceful, their expressions polite and unbothered by the invisible battle they were walking into.

The head maid bowed.

”Milady, Young Lord Thornehart, we have brought the morning tea and refreshments.”

With practiced elegance, the maids moved around the pavilion, setting down the floral porcelain set, arranging freshly baked pastries, and pouring a fragrant, steaming tea that drifted into the air like a soft invitation.

Lucen and Lysette both politely thanked them at the same time.

”Thank you.”

The head maid had her lips curled a little upward as she did a curtsy. The other maids did the same after the head maid. Once the maids were done giving what was needed, the group left.

”Please enjoy the tea and snacks, Sir Lucen.” Lysette was finally able to speak without Lucen speaking at the same time as her.

’Yes! Finally! I was able to speak.’

”Thank you,” Lucen responded as he took one of the pastries. After he took a bite, he was quite surprised that it wasn’t that sweet; in fact, it was only a little sweet.

’Now that I think about it, I haven’t really eaten many sweets in this world, which is why I haven’t noticed. Is this the same as Europe in the Middle Ages in my past life, where they could only get sugar through trade?’

”It’s delicious and sweet,” Lysette spoke as she too ate a pastry.

”Yes, there aren’t any sweets back in the North; most of us only eat meat and drink ale.”

Lysette blinked. ”No sweets at all?”

Even though she sounded genuinely curious, she wasn’t really, as she already knew that only a few places in Stellhart had anything to do with sweets, and Ironhold was not one of them.

Lucen nodded. ”Yeah, I’m actually curious how you make these things sweet?”

Despite Lysette being all over the place since the start, she was calm enough to notice what Lucen was trying to do.

’... I guess he wants to know about the sugar trade. Well, it’s not like I’m the one making the trades, and I just buy them anyway.’

Lysette decided that this much information was okay to give for free.

”This were made with something called sugar.”

”Sugar, is it? So where can I get some? I think my younger brother Cael would want to try eating something sweet.”

”Unfortunately, our kingdom doesn’t produce the sugar,” Lysette explained, ”but we do trade with the Solmere Dominion that produces it.”

”Is that so? I guess I’d better sugar while I’m here then.”

’So it is like the Middle Ages in my past life. I can’t remember, but I’m sure there’s another way to make sugar hidden in my memories. This could be quite a good business.’

”I’m glad that you liked the pastries enough that you would want to make your own,” Lysette responded. ”Still, sugar is quite expensive, but I guess that Sir Lucen would have enough money after selling those toys and board games.”

’So you’re not even hiding the fact that you’re sure that I’m the one producing those things, not my Father.’

”I wasn’t planning to buy that much sugar, just enough to make a single pastry for my younger brother... So, Lady Lysette, why did you invite me to morning tea?”

Lucen went and asked directly since he knew that doing it in a roundabout way was something Lysette expected. At least with this, she might be caught off guard.

Lucen looked at Lysette, but contrary to his expectation, she was still smiling and not even doing any twitchy movements like before.

’I guess I was wrong, maybe she did expect me to ask it in that way.’ Lucen thought to himself.

However, the truth was Lysette was simply stunned. She truly did not expect Lucen to ask it so directly.

’What should I say?! Do I just tell him that I just wanted to talk to him and for him to accompany me to tea?... OF COURSE NOT! Okay, I need to calm myself first.’

Lysette, who was still smiling, used one of the techniques she created to calm her mind. Lysette picked up a cup of tea and took a sip. Once she was calm, she was able to think about how to respond.

”Truthfully, I wanted to talk to you about the tournament. I was curious about how you’re feeling right now, Sir Lucen. You, who have once been deemed as untalented, have proved everyone wrong.”

Lucen shrugged his shoulders. ”I don’t really care about such things as rumors.”

”Is that so... You are broader-minded than I thought, Sir Lucen.” Lysette set her teacup down with a soft clink, her smile never wavering even as her thoughts churned beneath the surface.

”I’m not really sure if I can call myself broad-minded, but I guess you could say that I did this not to prove anyone wrong, but to show others something I learned.”

”What... You learned?” Lysette echoed what Lucen said.

”That strength can be gained,” he said with a resolute tone. ”Even from nothing.” Lucen made a face that was filled with determination.

Of course, none of what he said was the real truth. He just wanted to act like someone cool and throw off Lysette. ’How’s that! Even without Acting Adept, I guess I can do it. So what do you think, Lysette.’

Lucen looked at Lysette’s face, and there was no change from that smiling face. Lucen had already expected that, but somehow he felt a little disappointed.

’What?! Why does he look so handsome right now?! Those words, is that something someone our age should be saying?’ In reality, Lysette was reacting very much to Lucen’s words.

”Is that so... Then I guess Sir Lucen has achieved what he set out to do.”

”I guess, I have,” Lucen responded while picking up a teacup and taking a sip.

Unlike the pastries, the tea was something Lucen didn’t expect to drink in Norvaegard. He was expecting something like British tea from his past life, but this one tasted like Eastern Tea.

”So how’s the tea?” Lysette suddenly asked.

”... It’s surprisingly refreshing.”

”That’s good to hear. The leaves are grown in the Crowlorne territory. If you wish, I can give you a few.”

”Then I will gladly accept,” Lucen responded with a genuine smile on his face. Lysette, who was good at reading expressions, noticed the difference between Lucen’s smiles and felt relieved and at the same time excited.

The two continued their conversation on different topics. Listening to their conversation, most would not think that these two were just fourteen years old.

Sir Thalos, who was watching the two in the distance, could not help but grin. He could not help but be reminded of Lucen’s Father and Mother. Back then, Vardon and Veyra would have such conversations as well.